This park, located at the end of Poquoson Avenue overlooking the Back River, may be relatively modest, but the birding here is anything but. The road terminates in an expansive, paved parking area lined with a few spindly trees and otherwise surrounded on three sides by extensive saltmarshes. Looking south across the Back River, you can glimpse Langley Air Force Base in Hampton. Though it doesn’t get nearly as much press as Messick Point, Thomas Jefferson Rollins Nature Area is an almost equally productive hotspot with wide potential at all times of year. The saltmarshes here echo with the resonant calls of Clapper Rails and raucous chatter of Boat-tailed Grackles throughout the year. In the spring and summer months, they are joined by the bubbly songs of Marsh Wrens, as well as elusive Seaside and Saltmarsh Sparrows. Wading birds are also quite common in spring and summer, with a species roster that includes Great Blue, Little Blue, and Tricolored Herons, as well as Great, Snowy, and Cattle Egrets. On winter evenings, lucky birders may catch a glimpse of Short-eared Owls hunting over the marshes. Migrating shorebirds are often present here, but the viewing is less optimal than at Messick Point and spotting them may require waiting until a flock flushes from the marsh.
Apart from marsh birding, the other main attraction here is the expansive view of the Back River, which makes for good opportunities to see waterbirds at any time of year. Bald Eagles patrol the river all year, while Ospreys return around March and quickly become one of the most abundant birds around. At the end of the parking area there are some pilings remaining from a dilapidated pier, and these are always worth a quick scan for gulls, terns, cormorants, and pelicans. In spring and summer this area boasts a nice assortment of terns that typically includes Least, Forster’s, Common, Royal, and Sandwich. Caspians are most common as migrants but may linger through the summer months, and Gull-billed – while uncommon – are also possible. You may also catch a glimpse of Black Skimmers showing off their unique foraging technique. Great Black-backed and Herring Gulls are typically present year-round; beginning in the spring they are joined by returning Laughing Gulls, while winter brings Ring-billed Gulls (and a few may linger throughout the summer). Don’t neglect a quick scan for Iceland or Glaucous in the winter, as both species have been reported in the vicinity and could conceivably show up here. Winter is also an excellent time to scan the waters of Back River for loons, grebes, gannets, and waterfowl including Brant, scoters, mergansers, and scaup. Dabbling ducks may be tucked into the marshes, but they are difficult to view unless something causes them to flush.
Though primarily a spot for marsh and water birds, there are some mixed woods on the back edges of the marsh from which it is possible to hear the vocalizations of species such as Eastern Wood-Pewee, Great Crested Flycatcher, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Pine Warbler, and others in the proper seasons. In summer, Eastern Kingbirds may be perched on the telephone wires or seen hawking insects over the marsh. Aerialists including swifts and several swallow species also hunt the marshes; further up Poquoson Avenue is a complex of martin houses, and it is sometimes possible to see groups of Purple Martins from this spot. Another species worth keeping in mind is Red-headed Woodpecker, which utilizes dead trees in the marsh and can be seen or heard almost any time of year. In winter the passerines diversity drops substantially, but as with many spots in the Coastal Plain, Myrtle Warblers are abundant and carefully checking could always turn up a rarity associating with them. With patience, a wintering Orange-crowned Warbler or even a Sedge Wren may be possible to coax from the marsh vegetation.
Accessibility: This is a public natural area that is open and accessible at all times. Poquoson Avenue dead-ends in an expansive paved area with space to park several vehicles. There is also a primitive boat launch, as well as a picnic table and trashcan. A vacant building sits adjacent to this site, but it is clearly posted with “No Trespassing” signs, and is off-limits to anyone visiting this park.
Owner/Manager: City of Poquoson
eBird Hotspot: Thomas Jefferson Rollins Nature Area
—Matt Anthony